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Ponds in the UK

Any signs of spring in your pond yet?

15 years ago

It's very quiet in here, isn't it?

Are there any signs of spring in your pond yet?....or just ice?

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Comments (12)

big_kid
15 years ago
Hi Damp,

Quiet here, too, but the goldfish are venturing out from under the Parrot's Feather.

I did have a load of ice for a time and I'm glad to say the floating plastic football did its job in keeping a section clear of ice.

Can't remember when the first signs of amour, amour from the frog population starts. I guess they're still in the land of nod. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
dampflippers
Original Author
15 years ago
The frogs have started croaking up here in the NE yesterday and today, and I have seen 2 male frogs.
The birds are also pairing up.
Spring is sprung I think.
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dampflippers
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh No! Mr heron vsited this morning!
Time to put obstacles in place in it's favourite spot.
chippewacat
15 years ago
Hi damp!

see response to big kid's frogs to answer question about signs of spring!

It seems not even ice can thwart determined frogs!

Chip
stavros_liverpool
15 years ago
hey!
im over in liverpool...
erm... my frogs are at it like.... well.... frogs!
i must have about 30 breeding pairs now..

i also found a baby newt about 2 weeks ago! it was tiny!
ive got about 10 adult newts as well..

i'd say my pond was quite active! right now...
but i keep waking up hoping to find frog spawn!
any idea when i should be expecting it??
chippewacat
15 years ago
Well, I have always thought that Liverpool was indeed one of the friendliest places in the UK (first place I lived when I came here 30 years ago), and it seems that goes for the frogs too!

Carl Jung (a Swiss psychoanalyst) called Liverpool 'the pool of life'---there is certaintly a lot of life in your pool!

Thirty pairs--they must be making quite a noise! You should be hearing the slip-slop of spawn very soon...

I usually give some spawn a helping hand by rearing them indoors until they get big enough to be better at dodging predators (usually when the back feet pop out). One of the little rituals of spring. The truth is I find watching them develop absolutely fascinating!

all the best with your pond.

Chip
big_kid
15 years ago
Hey, Chip, What nice words about Liverpool - that's where I'm originally from.

Hi Damp,

I put another follow up on my 'Frog' posting.

What a drag that the Heron's been back. Can't remember what your pond's like, but is it possible to put fishing line in two different levels around the edge? My RSPB book suggested this years ago, except they said to use string. I thought it would be better to use fishing line, which wouldn't show up so much. I wish you luck dealing with it. Wouldn't mind (well, I would actually!) if they even chewed and tasted the fish, but they don't. Roast Heron for Sunday lunch, methinks!

Big Kid
chippewacat
15 years ago
Hi guys

love this time of year, so much to talk about!

I have heard rubber snakes work to scare off heron, but judging from how Sid emptied the pond (we were wondering why there were frogs sitting outside the pond in the daytime over the summer....), the rubber variety would probably scare off the wrong species.

inflatable crocodile? perhaps the fishing line is a better option.

As for Liverpool, what can I say? It is rather special!

time to go out now with the torch!

Chip
big_kid
15 years ago
Two blobs of frogspawn today. I've only seen two frogs, so I guess the others are still in kip.
Big Kid
chippewacat
15 years ago
Hi!

It was wild in our garden last night--6 new blobs this morning. See what happens next! Somehow I fear that will be the extent of it this year...

Well tinkerbell, I believe in you so you must be real!

As for your tadpoles, I wonder at what point they get carniverous? This batch I have, due to the freezing, meant that not all of them have hatched, and some have dropped out of the gel and into the bottom of the aquarium, where I have noticed them getting nudged by tadpoles and I swear there are less of them. I thought they got carnivorous when they got back legs?

At the zoo they had the paradoxical frog. No, it did not sit there protesting it was not a frog---it just that it was a huge tadpole that turned into a frog half the size. Are your tadpoles getting bigger, or have they just stopped?

it is all so interesting!

Chip
dampflippers
Original Author
15 years ago
No frogspawn yet, but about 4 pairs in or near pond last night. Also 2 male smooth newts in my newest pond (very little weed, so easy to see down)- the first I have seen this year.

If you haven't already, go out with a torch tonight, very quietly. Watch where you walk!
big_kid
15 years ago
There's been a lot of activity in my pond, but whenever I go out to have a look, they dive underneath the water. I think they must all be shy! Oddly enough, when I checked one night, there was no activity.

I have a few blobs of frogspawn now and I'll definitely be transferring some to give it a chance of survival.

I've seen no signs of a newt yet, Damp. Think it could be because it's minute?! (Old joke in there somewhere!)

Big Kid

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